Dithered displays and dithering processes and apparatus

Abstract

In one innovative aspect of the disclosure, a method includes patterning a first region and a first portion of a second region of a substrate using a first reticle. The method also includes patterning the second region and a first portion of the first region using a second reticle. The method additionally includes forming a first array of first patterned elements based on the patterning by the first reticle, and forming a second array of second patterned elements based on the patterning by the second reticle. In some implementations, each of the first and the second arrays are incomplete in each of the first portions. However, the first patterned elements in the first portion of the second region are complementary to the second patterned elements in the first portion of the second region. Similarly, the first patterned elements in the first portion of the first region are complementary to the second patterned elements in the first portion of the first region. In some such implementations, the combination of the first array and the second array form a complete array of patterned elements.

1 . A device comprising:
 a substrate including a first region and a second region, a boundary of the first region proximate a boundary of the second region;   a first layer over the substrate, the first layer being patterned in the first region and in a first portion of the second region with a first array of first patterned elements;   the first layer being further patterned in the second region and in a first portion of the first region with a second array of second patterned elements;   each of the first and the second arrays being incomplete in each of the first portions;   the first array of first patterned elements in the first portion of the second region being complementary to the second array of second patterned elements in the first portion of the second region;   the first array of first patterned elements in the first portion of the first region being complementary to the second array of second patterned elements in the first portion of the first region;   the combination of the first array of first patterned elements and the second array of second patterned elements in the first portions of the first and the second regions forming a complete array of patterned elements.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first array of first patterned elements includes cells of a first pattern type and a second pattern type;   the second array of second patterned elements includes cells of a first pattern type and a second pattern type;   the first array cells of the first pattern type are complementary to the second array cells of the first pattern type; and   the first array cells of the second pattern type are complementary to the second array cells of the second pattern type.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first array cells of the first pattern type include no patterned elements;   the first array cells of the second pattern type include complete patterned elements;   the second array cells of the first pattern type include complete patterned elements; and   the second array cells of the second pattern type include no patterned elements;   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 each first array cell of the first pattern type includes a first portion of the patterned elements;   each first array cell of the second pattern type includes a second portion of the patterned elements;   each second array cell of the first pattern type includes the second portion of the patterned elements; and   each second array cell of the second pattern type includes the first portion of the patterned elements.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first array of first patterned elements further includes cells of a third pattern type and cells of a fourth pattern type;   the second array of second patterned elements further includes cells of a third pattern type and cells of a fourth pattern type;   the first array cells of the third pattern type are complementary to the second array cells of the third pattern type;   the first array cells of the fourth pattern type are complementary to the second array cells of the fourth pattern type;   each first array cell of the third pattern type includes a third portion of the patterned elements;   each first array cell of the fourth pattern type includes a fourth portion of the patterned elements;   each second array cell of the third pattern type includes the fourth portion of the patterned elements; and   each second array cell of the fourth pattern type includes the third portion of the patterned elements.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further including:
 a second layer over the substrate, the second layer being patterned in the first region and in the first portion of the second region with a third array of third patterned elements;   the second layer being further patterned in the second region and in the first portion of the first region with a fourth array of fourth patterned elements;   each of the third and the fourth arrays being incomplete in the first portions of the first and the second regions; and   the third array of third patterned elements in the first portion of the second region being complementary to the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portion of the second region;   the third array of third patterned elements in the first portion of the first region being complementary to the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portion of the first region;   the combination of the third array of third patterned elements and the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portions of the first and the second regions forming a complete second array of patterned elements.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , further including:
 a second substrate including a third region and a fourth region, a boundary of the third region proximate a boundary of the fourth region;   a second layer over the second substrate, the second layer being patterned in the third region and in a first portion of the fourth region with a third array of third patterned elements;   the second layer being further patterned in the fourth region and in a first portion of the third region with a fourth array of fourth patterned elements;   each of the third and the fourth arrays being incomplete in the first portions of the third and the fourth regions;   the third array of third patterned elements in the first portion of the fourth region being complementary to the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portion of the fourth region;   the third array of third patterned elements in the first portion of the third region being complementary to the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portion of the third region;   the combination of the third array of third patterned elements and the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portions of the third and the fourth regions forming a complete array of patterned elements.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the substrate is a panel of a display that includes an array of display elements; and   the combination of the first array of first patterned elements and the second array of second patterned elements form at least portions of the display elements.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a processor capable of processing image data; and   a memory device capable of communicating with the processor.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a driver circuit capable of sending at least one signal to the display elements; and   a controller capable of sending at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising an image source module capable of sending the image data to the processor, wherein the image source module includes at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising an input device capable of receiving input data and communicating the input data to the processor. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 patterning a first region and a first portion of a second region of a substrate using a first reticle, a boundary of the first region proximate a boundary of the second region;   patterning the second region and a first portion of the first region of the substrate using a second reticle;   forming a first array of first patterned elements based on the patterning by the first reticle; and   forming a second array of second patterned elements based on the patterning by the second reticle;   each of the first and the second arrays being incomplete in each of the first portions;   the first array of first patterned elements in the first portion of the second region being complementary to the second array of second patterned elements in the first portion of the second region;   the first array of first patterned elements in the first portion of the first region being complementary to the second array of second patterned elements in the first portion of the first region;   the combination of the first array of first patterned elements and the second array of second patterned elements in the first portions of the first and the second regions forming a complete array of patterned elements.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the substrate is a panel of a display that includes an array of display elements; and   the combination of the first array of first patterned elements and the second array of second patterned elements form at least portions of the display elements.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first array of first patterned elements includes cells of a first pattern type and a second pattern type;   the second array of second patterned elements includes cells of a first pattern type and a second pattern type;   the first array cells of the first pattern type are complementary to the second array cells of the first pattern type; and   the first array cells of the second pattern type are complementary to the second array cells of the second pattern type.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first array cells of the first pattern type include no patterned elements;   the first array cells of the second pattern type include complete patterned elements;   the second array cells of the first pattern type include complete patterned elements; and   the second array cells of the second pattern type include no patterned elements;   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 each first array cell of the first pattern type includes a first portion of the patterned elements;   each first array cell of the second pattern type includes a second portion of the patterned elements;   each second array cell of the first pattern type includes the second portion of the patterned elements; and   each second array cell of the second pattern type includes the first portion of the patterned elements.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first array of first patterned elements further includes cells of a third pattern type and cells of a fourth pattern type;   the second array of second patterned elements further includes cells of a third pattern type and cells of a fourth pattern type;   the first array cells of the third pattern type are complementary to the second array cells of the third pattern type; and   the first array cells of the fourth pattern type are complementary to the second array cells of the fourth pattern type;   each first array cell of the third pattern type includes a third portion of the patterned elements;   each first array cell of the fourth pattern type includes a fourth portion of the patterned elements;   each second array cell of the third pattern type includes the fourth portion of the patterned elements; and   each second array cell of the fourth pattern type includes the third portion of the patterned elements.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further including:
 patterning the first region and the first portion of the second region of the substrate using a third reticle;   patterning the second region and the first portion of the first region of the substrate using a fourth reticle;   forming a third array of third patterned elements based on the patterning by the third reticle; and   forming a fourth array of fourth patterned elements based on the patterning by the fourth reticle;   each of the third and the fourth arrays being incomplete in the first portions of the first and the second regions;   the third array of third patterned elements in the first portion of the second region being complementary to the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portion of the second region;   the third array of third patterned elements in the first portion of the first region being complementary to the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portion of the first region;   the combination of the third array of third patterned elements and the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portions of the first and the second regions forming a complete second array of patterned elements.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further including:
 patterning a third region and a first portion of a fourth region of a second substrate using a third reticle, a boundary of the third region proximate a boundary of the fourth region;   patterning the fourth region and a first portion of the third region of the second substrate using a fourth reticle;   forming a third array of third patterned elements based on the patterning by the third reticle; and   forming a fourth array of fourth patterned elements based on the patterning by the fourth reticle;   each of the third and the fourth arrays being incomplete in the first portions of the third and the fourth regions;   the third array of third patterned elements in the first portion of the fourth region being complementary to the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portion of the fourth region;   the third array of third patterned elements in the first portion of the third region being complementary to the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portion of the third region;   the combination of the third array of third patterned elements and the fourth array of fourth patterned elements in the first portions of the third and the fourth regions forming a complete array of patterned elements.